Spine adjuster



J. J. JONES SPINE ADJUSTER Jan. 23, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 19.1965 Jimmie J. Jones INVENTOR.

Jan. 23, 1968 J. J. JONES 3,364,923

' SPINE ADJUSTER Filed Feb. 19, 1965 2 he s-Sheet 2 Jimmie J. JohesJNVENTOR.

Fig. 3. 76

United States Patent O 3,364,923 SPINE ADJUSTER Jimmie J. Jones, 2546Autumn Ave., Memphis, Tenn. 38112 Substituted for abandoned applicationSer. No. 112,995, Aug. 29, 1949. This application Feb. 19, 1965, Ser.No.

8 Claims. (Cl. 12848) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relatesto new and useful improvements and structural refinements in mechanicaldevices for exercising or orthopedic treatment of the human body, andthe principal object of the invention is to facilitate application ofpressure to the back, more particularly, the spinal region, so that themuscles of the back and adjacent internal organs may be assisted in theproper performance of their function.

Specifically, the instant invention is intended to be operated by theperson under treatment, and some of the advantages of the inventionreside in its simplicity of construction, in its convenient andefficient operation, and in its adaptablity to economical manufacture.

With the above more important objects and features in view and suchother objects and features as may become apparent as this specificationproceeds, the invention consists essentially of the arrangement andconstruction of parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof, this view being takensubstantially in the plane of the line 22 in FIGURE 1; and,

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view, taken substantially in the plane ofthe line 33 in FIGURE 2.

Like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts in thespecification and throughout the several views.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the inventionconsists of what may be referred to as a spine adjuster, this beingdesignated generally by the reference character and embodying in itsconstruction a frame 12 including what may be generally called ahorizontally elongated base poriton 14 having a front end 16 and a rearend 18, and an upwardly extending superstructure 20 which is provided atthe rear end of the base portion 14, as will be clearly apparent.

The base portion 14 includes in its construction a set of longitudinalmembers 22 supported by pairs of upstanding legs 24, 26, 28, it beingnoted that upward continuation of the legs 26, 28 constitutes, ineffect, components of the superstructure 20.

The longitudinal members 22 are provided with a set of cross members 30,32, 34; and a seat 36, consisting of a plurality of boards, is providedon the cross members 32, substantially as shown.

The seat 36 is disposed at the bottom of the superstructure 20 of theframe 12, while a foot rest 38, also composed of a plurality of boards,is provided in the forward end region of the base portion 14, that is,forwardly of the superstructure 20.

Longitudinally extending side bars 40 are used for reinforcing the crossmembers 34, while the superstructure 20 of the frame is equipped at theupper end thereof with a substantially rectangular frame member 42 whichis reinforced by diagonal braces 44 extending downwardly and rearwardlytoward the upper set of longitudinal members 22 of the base portion 14.In addition, the rectangular member 42 is provided with a pair of spacedcentralized parallel bars 46, while additional, longitudinally extendingmembers 48, 50 and a transverse member 52 complete the superstructure 20of the frame.

The front of the superstructure 20 is provided with a combineddoor-forming and chest-supporting panel 54 which is pivoted at 56 to thesuspension members 48 and is swingable forwardly and upwardly, asindicated at 58 in FIGURE 2. However, the aforementioned transversemember 52 is pivotally mounted at one end thereof at 60 to one of thelegs 26, this being so arranged that as long as the member 52 isdisposed in its horizontal position, the door panel 52 cannot be swungforwardly, but when the member 54 is swung upwardly and outwardly, asindicated at 62 in FIGURE 1, opening of the door panel 54 isfacilitated.

It is to be also noted that a substantially annular centrally localizedpadded head rest 64 of resilent material is provided on thesuperstructure 20 above the door panel 54, and a pendulous back engagingbar 66 is pivotally attached at its upper end at 68 to theaforementioned pair of bars 46 and extends downwardly within theconfines of the superstructure 20, as is best illustrated in FIGURES 1and 2.

The lower end of the bar 66 is connected by a chain, cable or the like68 to a transverse bar 70 extending between the lower ends of a pair oflevers 72 which are attached by suitable pivot pins 76 to the lower pairof the longitudinal members 22, it being noted that the levers 72 aredisposed at the sides of the foot rest 38, as illustrated in FIGURE 1.

The pivot pins 76 are receivable selectively in apertures 78, 80provided in the lower pair of the longitudinal members 22 and in thelevers 72, respectively, so that the position of the levers relative tothe frame may be adjusted as desired.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the back engaging member 66is swingable forwardly and rearwardly in the superstructure 20, theforward swinging thereof being effected by simply pulling the levers 72rearwardly as indicated at 82, while a pair of tension springs 84,connected to the lower end of the bar 66 at 86 and anchored to the crossmember 34 at the rear end of the frame at 88, are used for returning thebar 66 to its rearwardly swung position, as will be clearly understood.

When the invention is placed in use, the person to be treated simplylifts the member 52 upwardly and outwardly as at 62 and thereupon swingsthe door panel 54 forwardly and upwardly as at 58, so that he may seathimself on the seat 36 and place his feet on the foot rest 38.Thereupon, the panel 54 is permitted to be closed and is locked in theclosed position by swinging the member 52 to its horizontal position,and the user may then pull the levers 72 rearwardly as at 82, so thatthe member or bar 66 is brought in contact with the users back.

A back engaging pressure pad 90 is adjustably positioned on the bar 66so that pressure may be exerted on appropriate regions of the spine orback, while forward shifting movement of the person under treatment isprevented by the closed door panel 54 and by the head rest 64.

, bolts 94 which, in turn, are receivable selectively in a vertical rowof apertures 96 with which the bar 66 is provided, so that longitudinaladjustment of the pressure pad 90 on the bar 66 is facilitated.

It is believed that the advantages and use of the invention will beclearly apparent from the foregoing disclosure and accordingly, furtherdescription thereof at this point is deemed unnecessary.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferredembodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changesin the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of theinvention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. In a spine adjuster, the combination'of a frame structure embodying aseat and a torso enclosure aligned with and perpendicularly above saidseat, a back-engaging member pivoted at an upper end in an upper part ofsaid enclosure and extending downwardly within the confines of theenclosure, said member being swingable forwardly toward the front of theenclosure, a pair of levers pivotally mounted at the sides of the framestructure and operatively connected to said back-engaging member, acombined door-forming and chest-engaging panel provided at the front ofsaid enclosure, and means for positioning and retaining said panel in anormally closed position.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 together with a cushioned head restfixed at the front of said enclosure in a position above and in a planecommon with the normal plane of said panel.

3. In a spine adjuster, the combination of a frame including ahorizontally elongated base portion having front and rear ends and anupwardly extending superstructure at the rear end of said base portion,said superstructure affording a torso enclosure, a seat provided on saidbase portion at the bottom of said enclosure, a foot rest in said baseportion forwardly and downwardly from said seat, a forwardly swingabledoor panel provided at the front of said enclosure and affording a chestsupport, means for retaining said panel in a normally closed position, aback-engaging member pivotally attached at an upper end thereof to anupper component of said enclosure and depending downwardly therein, saidback engaging member being swingable forwardly toward said panel, a pairof levers pivoted to said base portion at the sides of said foot rest,and a flexible element operatively connecting said levers to the lowerend of said back engaging member.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 together with a back engagingpressure pad adjustably mounted on'said member.

5. A spine adjuster of'the class described comprising a frame structurecharacterized by a horizontally elongated base portion having front andrear end portions and a vertically elongated upstanding superstructurefixed to and rising perpendicularly above and fixed to said rear endportion and constituting a torso and head confining enclosurefor anoccupant, a horizontal seat fixed within a bottom part of and alignedwith said superstructure,

a horizontal platfrom in said base portion in a plane below said seatand in front of said seat and providing a footrest for the occupant ofsaid seat, avertically for-.

pivotally mounted on said base portion within convenient gripping andoperating use of the user, and linking and operating means connectingsaid arm and lever-means.

6. The combination defined in and according to claim 5, and wherein saidsuperstructure is provided at its top with a fixed horizontal frame,said'frarne embodying centralized members from which the upper end ofsaid arm is pivotally hung for pendulous movement toward and from theoccupant of said seat, said pressure apply ing panel being adjustablymounted on said arm. 7

7. The combination defined in and according to claim 6, and wherein saidlever means comprises a pair of spaced parallel levers disposed inopposed relationship, said levers being adjustable vertically and alsoadjustably shiftable toward and from said superstructure.

'8. The combination defined in and according to claim 7,and wherein thelower end portion of said arm is provided with an anchored coil springwhich is appropriately located and tensioned to maintain the arm in agiven out-of use position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 786,672 4/1905 Pfund 128'-'251,537,464 5/ 1925 Hummel 12869 X 1,618,609 2/1927 Taplin 12869 L. W.TRAPP, Primary Examiner.

